As the push to integrate behavioral health into primary and specialty care gains momentum, several health systems are appointing new leaders to oversee this transformation. These executives are tasked with aligning behavioral health strategies across clinical settings, building out service lines and ensuring consistent care delivery.
Here are 10 to know:
- Rasim Somer Diler, MD, will serve as clinical service chief of psychiatry and behavioral health for OU Health in Oklahoma City and the Paul and Ruth Jonas Chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. He will begin his new role in July.
- Bryan Baucom has been named CIO of Nashville, Tenn.-based Centerstone. Mr. Baucom will provide leadership and oversight across the organization’s technology functions, supporting teams responsible for the help desk, IT infrastructure, business applications, data analytics, EHR and cybersecurity.
- Jason Kirby, DO, an addiction and family medicine physician, was named chief medical officer of King of Prussia, Pa.-based Recovery Centers of America. He previously served in medical director and CMO roles focused on evidence-based models, clinical quality and outcomes-driven systems.
- Brent Nelson, MD, was appointed chief innovation officer of Nashville, Tenn.-based Newport Healthcare. He will work across Newport’s inpatient, residential and outpatient behavioral health programs to advance clinical quality and operational efficiency. In previous roles, he served as chief medical information officer and led the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation program for Newport’s PrairieCare program.
- Debra Osteen was reappointed as CEO of Franklin, Tenn.-based Acadia Healthcare after Chris Hunter departed the role. Ms. Osteen previously served as CEO from 2018 to 2022 and remained on the company’s board until 2024. Before her initial tenure at Acadia, she was executive vice president of Universal Health Services and president of its behavioral health division for 19 years.
- Manish Sapra, MD, was named vice president of Chicago-based CommonSpirit’s national service line of behavioral health. His focus is on improving access, expanding integrated care models and building sustainable structures to support the system’s mission.
- Thomas Britton, PhD, was appointed CEO of Discovery Behavioral Health, based in Irvine, Calif. Dr. Britton brings decades of clinical and executive leadership experience to the role, having previously served as CEO of Accanto Health, American Addiction Center and Gateway Foundation.
- Caroline Carney, MD, was appointed CEO of Frisco, Texas-based Magellan Health. Dr. Carney held several leadership roles since joining Magellan in 2016. She became chief medical officer in 2020 and was named president of the organization’s behavioral health business in 2022.
- Dave Jenkins was named vice president of behavioral health services for Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health. He joined the health system in 2012 and has held leadership roles across various service lines, including geriatrics, clinical dietetics, diabetes education and sleep disorders. Mr. Jenkins oversees Cone Health Behavioral Health Hospital and leads the system’s behavioral health initiatives.
- David Rubin, MD, was appointed chief medical officer of Plano, Texas-based Oceans Healthcare. In previous roles, he served as director of the division of professional and public education for the department of psychiatry at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital and Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham for Children.
